Since I moved to New York City, I’ve been trying to figure out ways to stay active. On a whim, I decided to sign up for the Brooklyn Half Marathon. While I was training, I realized that I seriously needed to upgrade my hydration habits. I started looking for an easy to use, effective electrolyte drink mix that would help me hydrate faster and recover quicker. I picked two products to test out: BUBS Naturals and Liquid IV. After a month of testing, I can honestly say I’ve upped my game and know which mix I’ll be using from now on. Here’s why.
If you’re looking for a product that hydrates fast… BUBS Naturals
As I started upping my mileage each week in training, I quickly realized that water alone wasn’t doing the trick. My first 8 mile run left me with cramps and I felt like I lost all salt in my body. The first run using BUBS was a breakthrough. I poured a packet into my water bottle that I drank throughout the run and felt invincible. I had no cramps and felt fully recovered the next day.
Not only does BUBS have 2x the electrolytes, but it also supports muscle recovery, nutrient absorption, and immune function! I used Liquid IV on a few runs, but I didn’t feel the same. I don’t know what it is — perhaps the specific salt ratios — but regardless, BUBS Naturals was the clear winner.
If you’re looking for a product that’s made from clean ingredients… BUBS Naturals
BUBS Naturals has only six ingredients! And it’s gluten free, soy free, dairy free, GMO free, and made from ingredients entirely derived from nature, not the lab. I don’t know how they do it, but the foundational ingredient is organic evaporated coconut water, which contains both potassium and chloride. The rest of the ingredients are sourced from Himalayan salt and magnesium from ocean plankton!
With Liquid IV, there are 16 ingredients and a lot less transparency about the source of their ingredients and I got lost trying to figure out the complex originations of their products. If you care about natural, clean ingredients, then BUBS is the clear choice.
If you’re looking for a product that’s convenient and easy on the wallet… Tie
Both products come in small, easy to use packets that you can dump into a water bottle. This was great, as I always carry a few with me in my gym bag.
There’s really no material difference in the price points either. Liquid IV is about 30 cents cheaper per packet than BUBS Naturals. However, BUBS Natural provides a 15% discount if you get a trio of the products, and they offer a full refund if you don’t like it! Either way, both these packets are way under $2 per pack, which is WAY cheaper than grabbing any sort of sports drink at the local bodega after your workout.
If you’re looking for a product that tastes great… BUBS Naturals
I was skeptical of BUBS at first because it has half the sugar than Liquid IV per pack. I thought the taste would take a hit, but it turns out the orange BUBS Naturals mix is delicious! And that's not because of added cane sugar — it’s all natural from coconut water! I’m often tempted to drink extra packs just because I like it so much. I also really like the lemon flavor and found it to be a refreshing mid-exercise drink.
With Liquid IV, I definitely didn’t have the same feeling. I tried the strawberry lemonade, and it just wasn’t for me. I found it hard to stomach on my runs as it almost felt too thick, like the flavor was overpowering. This was a clear win for BUBS.
The Ultimate Winner … BUBS Naturals
While I’ve always resisted running as a primary form of exercise (largely because I was more interested in riding my mountain bike), the lack of any mountains in Brooklyn has led me to begrudgingly become a “runner.” In this process, I’ve learned that the key to success is proper hydration and recovery. I can’t wait to keep running and using BUBS Naturals as I re-identify as a runner. Next stop – short shorts!
